Sutil seeks F1 return after guilty verdict

Story highlights

Adrian Sutil hopes to return to F1 after being found guilty of grievous bodily harm

The German was handed an 18-month suspended jail term and fined $262,000

Sutil has lost his place at Force India for 2012 to compatriot Niko Hulkenberg

He finished ninth in the drivers' championship in 2011, scoring 42 points

German driver Adrian Sutil is confident of returning to Formula One despite receiving an 18-month suspended jail sentence for grievous bodily harm on Tuesday.

The former Force India driver was also fined €200,000 ($262,000) for injuring Eric Lux, chief executive of the Lotus team's owner Genii Capital, with a champagne glass in a Shanghai nightclub after last April's Chinese Grand Prix.

Sutil lost his seat with Britain-based Force India for 2012 and was replaced by his compatriot Nico Hulkenberg -- who last raced for Williams in 2010.

The 29-year-old's agent is hoping to find Sutil a position within F1 before the new season begins in Australia on March 18, but his options are limited with Spanish marque HRT the only team on the grid with a seat yet to be filled.